By: Dustin Ryder
With a myriad of research programs within the Biology Department at the School of Science, incoming biology graduate students are exploring a range of topics. This fall the department is welcoming 12 research students into its graduate program, studying topics ranging from fetal alcohol syndrome in zebrafish to DNA sequencing in flies.
Learn more about incoming biology research graduates and their areas of research:
Tripthi Battapadi
Concentration: Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
Research: DNA Repair Systems
Mentor: Dr. Lata Balakrishnan
Favorite aspect of your research? “Easy access to all the information, approachable and friendly supervisors and colleagues. The freedom to try out variety of approach.”
Racquel Hopkins
Concentration: Biology
Research: Forensic DNA Phenotyping- Hair Color Quantification
Mentor: Dr. Susan Walsh
Why did you choose this area? “I plan to work in the forensic field as a DNA analyst.”
Md Sariful Islam Howlader
Concentration: Biology
Research: Hydrocephalus Disease
Mentor: Dr. Bonnie Blazer-Yost
Why did you choose this area? “My background of study--I took pharmacology, advanced biochemistry. I wish to collaborate my pharmacological knowledge with biochemistry research.”
Tisianna Kamba
Concentration: Biology/Neuroscience
Research: Mchr1 localization in cilia found in the brain and conditions that can alter Mchr1 presence in cilia.
Mentor: Dr. Nick Berbari
Why did you choose this area? “The topic chose me with the help of my P.I.”
Frank Lawrence
Concentration: Neuroscience/Forensics
Research: Neuroscience: Immunofluorescence and RNA Sequencing in Brain with a focus on obesity.
Forensics: Using Sequencing and SNP analysis.
Mentor: Dr. Nick Berbari and Dr. Christine Picard
Why did you choose this area? “It’s cool and answers key scientific questions.”
Xiayi Liao
Concentration: Biology
Research: Proteins involved in stereocilia development and maintenance
Mentor: Dr. Benjamin Perrin
Why did you choose this area? “My grandfather is not losing his hearing as he is aging; instead, his hearing is getting better.”
Carlie Priddy
Concentration: Bone Cell Biology
Research: Keap1-Nrf2 Antioxidant Pathway
Mentor: Dr. Jiliang Li
Favorite aspect of your research? “Potential to improve treatment/prevention of osteoporosis and bone disease.”
Priyadharshini Manikandan
Concentration: Biology
Research: Effects of fetal alcohol syndrome in zebrafish
Mentor: Dr. James Marrs
Favorite aspect of your research? “Working with zebrafish embryos because I’ve never worked with live organism in a lab before.”
Khadija Moctar
Concentration: Genetics
Research: DNA sequencing in search of vertebrate DNA from flies
Mentor: Dr. Christine Picard
Why did you choose this area? “It can be implemented in tracing biodiversity.”
Madhumita Sridharan
Concentration: Molecular Biology & Reduction Biochemistry
Research: DNA Repair Mechanism
Mentor: Dr. Lata Balakrishnan
Why did you choose this area? “It helps me understand the fundamental reasons behind biological phenomenon.”
Brandon Wysong
Concentration: Molecular Biology and Reduction Biochemistry
Research: DNA Repair and Telomere Mechanisms
Mentor: Dr. Lata Balakrishnan
Why did you choose this area? “Determining the foundations of DNA repair pathways is critical to helping better understand the cause of cancer and other genetic disorders.”
Jennifer Yanum
Concentration: Regenerative Biology
Research: Liver regeneration
Mentor: Dr. Guoli Dai
Why did you choose this topic? “To find out the concept of liver regeneration to help develop therapeutic interventions.”
The Biology Department and School of Science extend a warm welcome to these incoming students and wishes the best of luck in their discoveries. Congratulations to the minds of tomorrow—be the best Jaguar you can be.